Portfolio Station

FORMAT◎10 Minutes◎Questions from 2 Interviewers◎Questions centred around your portfolioSCORING◎/72◎Marks based on portfolio checklist◎Marks based on interview answers

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Core Surgery Interview Portfolio Station

Before you enter the portfolio station, the assessors will have spent 10 minutes reading through your portfolio and validating portfolio checklist. You will have been asked to complete the Portfolio Checklist prior to the interview station and insert it into the front of your portfolio.There are no set questions asked by interviewers rather questions will centre around the contents of your portfolio and the completed checklist.

The Portfolio station is designed to assess past achievements, commitment to surgery and career progression to date. It is also an opportunity to display your presentation, teaching and organisational skills.

Portfolio Checklist

In addition to your eligibility documentation, you will also need to bring your portfolio to the CST interview. Your portfolio should contain documentation of any achievements and qualifications you have quoted on the application form and also evidence of how you meet the essential criteria set out in the Person Specification. Each applicant must complete the Portfolio Checklist and place at the front of the folder, prior to attending the interview.

All claims made on your application form or portfolio checklist such as a published article, a prize awarded etc must be supported by evidence in your portfolio that can be verified by the interviewing panelists. Any claim not backed up by evidence in your portfolio, will be raised in the interview and if found to be false, may result in rejection or further action. No marks will be given if there is no evidence in the portfolio.

An example of the checklist is shown below:

Preparation

The majority of the marks awarded for the Portfolio station are scored before you even enter the room. Knowing what is required to score points ahead of time is key to maximising your score in the Portfolio station.

Interviewers have only 10 minutes in which to scan through your CV and Portfolio. Having a well-prepared, clearly structured Portfolio in which items can be quickly located will help you score marks and make life easy for the interviewers.

Portfolio Scoring

The majority of the marks awarded for the Portfolio station are scored before you even enter the room. Knowing what is required to score points ahead of time is key to maximising your score in the Portfolio station.

Interviewers have only 10 minutes in which to scan through your CV and Portfolio. Having a well-prepared, clearly structured Portfolio in which items can be quickly located will help you score marks and make life easy for the interviewers.

The way your structure and present your CV is really important as interviewers will use this as a quick indicator on the day. Our question bank includes CV and portfolio analysis.

Core Surgery Portoflio Guidance

The Core Surgery Handbook provides guidance regarding the kind of evidence expected and how it should be presented in your portfolio:

• Use one lever arch file for all your documents• Include your CV• Place the portfolio checklist at the front of your folder so panelists can easily locate evidencerelating to the Person Specification• Place an index in the front of the folder areas of your Portfolio that you would like tohighlight. This should be clearly numbered to match the Portfolio checklist. Use marker tabsso that sections can be found quickly• Use bullet points to list each item of evidence under each section of the portfolio checklist.The checklist should be completed electronically and printed• Include a printed copy of your application form (excluding the sections relating to equalopportunities and references)• If you use plastic wallets make sure documents can be easily removed and examined by panelmembers• Don’t include any patient identifiable data or items/information that are not yours (e.g.someone else’s work or hospital guidelines)• Although many trainees are now using e-Portfolio, hard copy portfolios are required forinterview. Print relevant documents only, not your whole electronic portfolio. Use a Proformato provide an executive summary of publications, presentations and teaching undertaken.• Bring foundation training portfolios or evidence of completion of educationally approvedSenior House Officer, specialty training or fixed term specialty training (FTSTA) post(s) in the UK.

Top Tips

default_titleInvest in a nice faux-leather A4 binder, plastic wallets and dividers in which to build your portfolio

default_titleConstruct a contents page that mirrors your CV and add sub-contents pages at the beginning of each section to make it easy for the interviewers to find your documents

default_titleKnow your Portfolio inside-out and make sure that you can direct interviewers to important publications and evidence quickly

default_titleSpend time re-reading old audits, presentations and publications. Anything included in your Portfolio may be discussed by the interviewers and it is important that you can recall data and results from projects you undertook several years previously

default_titleTry to keep your portfolio concise with only evidence that will score points included. Having a large binder may look impressive but it can make things difficult to find for the interviewers

default_titleBe honest with everything on the portfolio checklist and make sure you have included sufficient evidence to back it up

default_titleThink about what your key selling points are and what makes you stand out and focus on these attributes